Plaintive Cuckoo vs Andaman Coucal
Cacomantis merulinus compared with Centropus andamanensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Plaintive Cuckoo | Andaman Coucal |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cacomantis merulinus | Centropus andamanensis |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 20.8 cm (8.2 in) | 34.5 cm (13.6 in) |
| Weight | 25.75 g (0.91 oz) | 199.0 g (7.02 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | -- | 2-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Plaintive Cuckoo
Loud, far-carrying resonant call; deep notes given from dense forest canopy in Africa. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
Andaman Coucal
Melodic, whistled phrase with clear quality; pure resonant notes carrying across African woodland habitat.
Conservation Status
Plaintive Cuckoo
Andaman Coucal
How to Tell Them Apart
Plaintive Cuckoo
Plaintive Cuckoo: gray-brown above; rufous-orange below; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; sexually dimorphic rufous morph females
Andaman Coucal
About These Birds
Plaintive Cuckoo
Plaintive Cuckoo (Cacomantis merulinus) — 20–24 cm. Male: grey above; rufous-orange below; yellow orbital skin. Female: heavily barred morph often differs. Widespread in South and Southeast Asia from Bangladesh to the Philippines. Brood parasite targeting tailorbirds and other warblers. Insectivore. Named for its plaintive descending whistle.
Andaman Coucal
Andaman Coucal (Centropus andamanensis) — 42–47 cm. Chestnut back and wings; black head and underparts; long graduated tail. Endemic to the Andaman Islands, India, in forest and scrub. Non-parasitic. Omnivore. Previously treated as a subspecies of Greater Coucal.